Torpedo for signaling on railroads or for other uses



March 25, 1941. L, VEBER 2,236,189

' TORPEDO FOR SIGNALING ON RAILROADS OR FOR OTHER USES Filed My: 5. 1938 I of K956) Inn? Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOR-PEDO FOR. SIGNALING N RAILROADS OR FOR OTHER USES a. corporation of France Application November 5, 1938', Serial No. 239,079 In France November 23, 1937 4 Claims.

A certain number of types of torpedo for signaling on railroads are already known.

A torpedo is chiefly in use which contains a priming charge and a detonatin-g charge, and is characterized by the fact that the priming is insured by a striker acting upon the priming charge, the sensltiveness of the whole device being insured by the outline given to the striker, the thickness of the priming charge, or the position of the striker relatively to the priming charge.

The torpedoes of this type have given excellent results upon the railroads carrying the usual trains comprising heavy rolling stocks whose wheels are provided with metal tires.

15 On the contrary, certain difliculties have been found in the use of such torpedoes for the circulation of locomotive cars, and chiefly the locomotive cars provided with pneumatic tires.

In fact, in these known torpedoes, the detonat- 20 ing charge is contained in a stamped metal box of small thickness, which is to be crushed by the vehicle in order to efiect the explosion of this charge by means of the striker. Moreover, in order to prevent all danger in the handling and 2 transportation of such torpedoes, the thickness of the metal box forming the body of the torpedo, and the sensitiveness of the charge, are so determined that an accidental shock will not cause an improper explosion of the torpedo.

30 Owi g to this fact, these torpedoes cannot be suitably crushed by a vehicle whose weight is distributed upon a great number'of wheels, and in which the elastic tires have not a sufficient hardness, and in this case the crushing will not be 35 suflicient to cause the explosion of the charge.

Even if this difiiculty should be overcome, the torpedoes would have another drawback, as the elastic tire is likely to be damaged either by the metal particles which are torn off at the time of 40 the explosion, or by contact with the products of combustion which have a high temperature.

The present invention has for its obj act to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks.

It relates to a torpedo for signaling upon rail- 45 roads, or for other uses, which is characterized by the fact that the priming device is located in the body of the torpedo, in such way as to project from the lower face of the said body, so that the said priming device will rest upon a small sup- 0 porting surface, such as the rail-head, and will thus be subject to avery great pressure when the Wheel passes over, thus providing for the efiective ignition of the said priming device and of the torpedo.

5 A modified form of the invention is characterized by a rigid topped-o body forming the top of the torpedo, and a cup-shaped member consisting of thin metal which is fitted to th lower part of the said rigid body and contains the detonating charge and the priming device, which a'rrange- 5 ment provides, for the downward escape of the gas due to the'explosion, thus preventing all damage toi'lhe rubber tire of the wheel.

The invention further relates to a safety device which is removably mounted upon one of the above-mentioned torpedoes and provides for its transportation and handling without danger, in spite of the sensitive nature of the torpedo.

Various torpedoes, as well as a safety device for torpedoes, in conformity to the invention, are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively an axial section and a cross-section of a torpedo according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of another torpedo, according to the invention.

Fig. 4 is an axial section of another torpedo, according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is an axial section of another embodiment.

Fig. 6 is .an axial section of a safety device for torpedoes.

Fig. '7 is an elevational view of a torpedo provided with the safety device.

The torpedo shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a rig-id body I, upon one of whose faces I are located a central boss 2 and a rim 3, thus leaving an annular cavity 3 in the said body I A cup-shaped member 4 stamped out of thin metal, comprises a rim 5 adapted to fit exactly into the cavity 3 as well as a central projecting part 6.

The cup-shaped member 4 contains the explosive charge, and is fitted into the body A priming device such as a fulminate cap, is held between the boss of the body I and the bottom 6 of the projecting part 6 of said cup-shaped member. The fulminate cap 1 contains a suitable charge which is affected by slow crushing.

For use, the torpedo is placed on the head 8 of the rail 9, in such way that the central boss projection of the cup 4 will bear upon the railhead. In this case, the face I of the body I is at the top.

The torpedo is attached to the rail-head 8 by means of a spring strip II] which forms a clamp.

The operation of the said torpedo is as fol lows. When the elastic tire of the locomotive car passes over the upper face I of the body I, the

corresponding force is transmitted by the boss 2 to the priming cap 1, which is now subjected to a very heavy crushing pressure, owing to the small surface by which the projection B of the cup 4 rests upon the rail-head 8.

The cap, which is thus strongly crushed, will be ignited, and hence the explosion of the torpedo will take place to the best effect.

Moreover, the rigid body I serves as a screen, and thus the gas from the explosion escapes downwardly in the direction of f thus preventing all damage to the rubber tire of the wheel.

On the other hand, it is advantageous'to provide rough places I l which are formed, during the manufacture, on the upper face i of the body I; such rough places will cause an adhesion between the tire and the body I of the torpedo, and thus the torpedo will not be driven from the rail by the tire.

The torpedo above described may be subject to numerous modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the first place, as concerns the torpedo shown in Fig. 3 the body I of the torpedo is provided with a lug l2 to which a rod or bar l3 can be secured, in order to connect the torpedo to one of the parts of a signal or the like.

The cap 1 may be replaced by a priming charge which is placed directly in the recess of the projection 6.

In the device shown in Fig. 4, the cup 4 is stamped in such manner that the interior of the projection 6 forms a recess for the fulminate cap 1, and thus the said cap can be more readily put in place.

The invention is applicable to the disposition of the rigid torpedo body and of the cup-shaped piece of thin metal which is located under the said rigid body, even in the case in which this disposition is not combined with a projecting part of the cup. A simplified arrangement of this kind is shown in Fig. 5, comprising a cup-shaped member 4 with flat bottom, having at the central part the fulminate cap 1 whose upper part is in contact with the boss 2 of the said body. The cup 4 is fitted into the body I at its edges, and projects from the said body.

The safety device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 consists of a mass Id of inert material, such as molded material, having at the center a recess l5 which practically fits upon the projecting part 6 of the cup-shaped member 4. However, the shape of the said recess is such that when the said mass is placed upon the torpedo, the surface of the recess l5 will not make contact with the cup 4.

Strips 16 form a spring clamp for attaching the mass M to the body I of the torpedo, and thus the said mass canb removablysecured.

' When the torpedo has I been covered by the mass I4, it can be handled and transported with- :out danger, in spite of the sensitive nature of the torpedo.

The torpedo in conformity to the invention is designed specially in order that it shall be operated by the wheels provided with pneumatic tires used upon locomotive cars, but the invention relates to the said torpedo, irrespectively of its 'p-articulariuses (with wheels having solid rubber said peripherical flange ensuring a lateral pro-.

tection against the explosion of said charge and a priming device of small section inserted between said rigid body and said cup-shaped member and in contact with these two elements.

2. A torpedo as claimed in claiml, the cupshaped member of which comprises a central downwardly projecting part, the priming device being inserted between said projecting part and a corresponding part of the rigid body.

3. A torpedo as claimed in claim 1, having a central downwardly projecting boss in said rigid body, and a stamped part downwardly projecting in said thin cup-shaped member for receiving said priming device which is arranged between said boss and said projecting stamped part.

4. A torpedo for signaling on railroads, and particularly on railroads for locomotive cars provided with pneumatic tires or for other uses and comprising a rigid metal body for the protection of the tire, of relatively large thickness, 2. cupshaped member stamped out of thin metal and fitting within and under said body, an explosive charge in said thin metal cup-shaped member, and a priming device of small section inserted between said rigid body and said cup-shaped thin member and in contact with these two elements.

LEON VEBER. 

